Roadside Bomb Targets Volunteers in Narathiwat, No Casualties Reported

Pictures courtesy of Matichon

A roadside bomb detonated in Narathiwat yesterday in what appears to be a targeted attack on territorial defence volunteers. The blast, which occurred at 1.59 pm on the Sungai Kolok-Sungai Padi road, caused substantial damage but, fortunately, resulted in no casualties.

The explosion took place at a U-turn in Ban Bango Humo, in the Sungai Padi district, and prompted a rapid military response. Police Colonel Mataha Muna, head of Sungai Padi Police Station, confirmed the incident. The area was quickly sealed off by armoured vehicles, though investigation efforts were hampered by heavy rainfall.

At the scene, police found a large crater, approximately 2 metres wide and 1 metre deep, indicative of the explosion's considerable force. Due to the adverse weather, the full investigation by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit from Border Patrol Police 447 was delayed until conditions improved.

Preliminary findings suggest that the bomb was an improvised explosive device (IED), encased in a 20-kilogramme gas cylinder and strategically buried beneath a culvert. It was likely intended to target an armoured vehicle carrying volunteers from the Sungai Padi District Office, which narrowly escaped damage after just completing battery maintenance in Sungai Kolok.

An official stated, “The device exploded just 20 metres behind the vehicle. Had the timing been different, this could have been a deadly attack.”

Police suspect insurgent involvement, potentially connected to a previous car bomb attack on the Sungai Kolok District office on March 8. Intelligence suggests that the Ban Bango Humo area harbours an active insurgent network.

In response, military units and police are ramping up efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible, while residents are being cautioned about possible further incidents, reported The Thaiger.